Device for marking phonograph records



W. H. WADE.

DEVICE FOR MARKING PHONOGRAPH RECORDS.

APPLICATION HLED 1uLY1, 1921.

1,412,300. I PatehtedApr. 11, 1922.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' WILLIAM H. WADE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR MARKING PHOINOGRAPH RECORDS.

Application, filed July 1,

T 0 all whom it may concern: I Y

Be it known that I, lYI LIAM H. VADE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, State of. Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Devices for Marking Phonograph Records, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto the marking of phonographrecords. These records are deliveredto the retailer,of course, with the i marks of the manufacturer thereon,'but are ordinarily sold without anything to indicate the name or place of business of the retailer. It has become, for various reasons, desirable to have the name and place of business of the retailer appear on the phonograph records permanently," so that not only will the retailer have the benefit of the advertising, but whereby certain things can be done which will help to sifeguard the interests of the purchaser of the records. fPreferably, phonograph records are markedonthe face thereof, and inasmuch as these records usually have a round label pressed into thereoord at the center thereof, it is obvious that the most desirable place, for some purposes and for some reasons, to mark the records, is in the narrow space between said label and the grooves of the record. In accordance with the-invention, therefore, the device is provided with means for marking the record .111 this circular space, with the name of the retailer, or in any suitable or desired manner, but preferably in a way that makes the marking permanent or of such character that it cannot easilybe erased-.- In addition, in view of the fact that this space is rather narrow, and because of the desirability of accuratelyplacing the marking in this space, the device is also provided-withmeansyfor engaging the record to accurately position the latter relatively to the means which do the marking in said space. This may be done in various ways, for example'by providing the device with a projection, which will enter the hole which isalways formed in the center of the record, whereby the marking device will, be centered by the same hole which centers the record on the turntable of the phonograph. It is obvious, however, that the invention is not limited to any particular form or construction, and is not lim- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922. 192i. Serial No. 481,763.

erable to place the marking, for example, in

.the center ofthespace immediately outside of the grooves,.near the edge of the record. In either case, however, regardless ofwhether the marking is placed on the inner circular space or the outer circular space on the rec-- 0rd, it is preferable to employ means for positioning the marking device relatively to the record, either byengagement of something with the hole in the center of the record, or by engagement with something or some other portion of the record as may be desired. In the accompanying drawings. which are illustrative of one form of the invention,

Figure 1 is a top viewof a marking device embodying the principles of the invention.

. Figure 2 is a side elevation of said marking device showing it resting upon the phonograph. record. r

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section on line 33 in Figure Figure I is a plan view of the central portion of the recordshown in Figure 3, illus- .trating the manner in which the marking device leaves its impression upon the narrow surface between the central label and the grooves of. the record.

As thus illustrated, the marking device comprises a body portion 1, having a handle 2 of any suitable character on the back or top thereof. The face of said body 1 is provided with type, 2, disposed. in a circle, of any suitable character, such as rubberor metal or other material, this circle being of a diameter to properly locate themarking in said space 3 between the label 4 and the grooves 5 of the fiat disc record 6, as shown more clearly, in Figure 4, in a manner that will be readily understood.- In order to properly locate the marking in this space, said device is preferably provided with any suitable or desired means for engaging the edges of the record, thereby to position the record and marking device relatively to each other. For example; the center of the body 1 can be provided with a cavity 7 containing a center post or pin Shacked by a coil spring 9 which permits this pin or post to slide back into the said cavity when the marking device is pressed on an ink pad or on any other surface by which it is inked or supplied with the materials for producing the desired impression on the record. When the device is used, however, the post or pin 8 is placed in the center hole 10 Of the record, thus centergages the opposite edges thereof, in order to accurately position the device. Thus, in accordance with the spirit and intention of the invention, the hole 10 not only serves its original purpose of positioning the disc on the phonograph, but also serves the 'addit-ional purpose of positioning the marking device on the disc itself. It will be understood, however, as previously stated, that the positioning of the device over the face of the disc may be accomplished in any suitable or desired manner by means of any kind for engaging some portion or portions of the edges of the disc, without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention. 7

- As stated, the tool or marking device thus provided can be placed on an ink pad to ink the type 2, and when this is done the projection 8 will slide up into the body 1 to permit the desired inking operation. Of course, in order to carry out the intent and spirit of the invention, the ink or other liquid or substance or material for producing the impression on the record should be of such charac ter that it cannot be easily erased; There are known substances or inks or other things which can be used for this purpose and which in some cases will even eat into the substance or material of the record itself,- thus leaving the letters of the marking countersunk or characterized by a hollow effect on the face of the record. The label 4 is ordinarily pressed into the record, when the latter is made, so that its outer surface is flush with the face or top surface of the record itself.

7 b When the name of the retailer is thus placed in the space 3 between said labeland the grooves of the record, in such a way that the name and the place of business of the retailer cannot be erased, it not only follows that the retailer" obtains a certain kind of a beneficial advertisin very obviously, but

alsothat certain desirable results accrue in the direction of the purchaser or user of the record, as will be readily understood by those the marking in the inner center of the circular space between the label andthe grooves,

it is obvious that theouter space between the grooves and the outer edge of the disc can be utilized for this purpose, if so desired, without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention. The disc has inner and outer edges, of course, and means are providedfor engaging opposite edges to position the disc on the record. Moreover, the marking thus placed on the disc can be of any suitable or desired character and may be the identification mark of the purchaser or user of the disc, so that discs when thus marked can be. traced and recovered more easily when stolen or lost.

Thus the invention provides a means for marking the record in a manner that protects the grooves against injury, "during the marking operation.

' What I claim as my invention" is 1. Means for marking a phonograph rec-- ord, comprising marking means disposed in position to mark the record in the annular space ordinarily provided between'the central label and the grooves of a disc record, and means vfor engaging the disc to position the latter and said marking means relatively to each other, thereby to ensure accurate placement of the marking in said annular space. p

2. Phonograph disc record marking means asspecified in claim 1, comprising a handle for the back thereof, so that said means are in the form-of a hand tool or device which can be operated by one hand, and said positioning means comprising a projection in the center of the device for engagement with the hole ordinarily-found in the center of any such disc record.

Phonograph discrecordmarking means as specified in claim 1, said positioning means comprising a'provision for engagement with the hole ordinarily found in the center of any such disc record, means whereby said projection, may slide into said device topermit the placing of the face of said device on an ink pad orother means for supplying thesubstance for marking the record, havinga spring to keep said projection normally extended in positionto engage said hole.

4. The combination of a phonograph disc record having record grooves and 'a smooth area marking means disposed in position to operate upon the smooth area, means to engage the edges of the disc to position said marking means and prevent marking on said grooves, and means for operating said markmg means. I 7 WILLIAM H. WADE. 

